Roguish Love
by ImmortalWishes
Summary: Syaoran, Prince of the Li Kingdom, is faced with the horrors of getting married. But will horror just slap him back? 50 princesses compete to marry him, but he plans to get rid of them all. She wants to win just to make him pay. Will love play a part?
1. The Beginning

**Chapter 1:**

**The Beginning**

Silence was across the large village as night had taken over. Everyone lay sleeping soundly in their beds breathing heavily after hearty dinners. Crisp leaves fell from the ready trees, autumn creeping in.

Amber eyes shot open, and a boy around the age of eighteen sat in his bed with his back arched over. He was panting heavily, his face sweat covered. It had happened again, one of those dreams, no, more like nightmares.

He groaned, and ruffled his already untidy hair. Scratching the back of his head he got up defeated, he had already awoken 3 times that night. He walked over to the windowsill to the right of his grand bed and opened it slightly.

He let the cold air rush over him clearing his grave thoughts. It ran under his night robe sending cold shivers running all over his skin.

His window was the nearest thing he had to the outside of the average Kingdom. Never had he once been able to venture out and explore, at least after his good friend Eriol had left.

He smiled a rare smile thinking about the great the ruckus him and his friend had caused together. Running around the streets knocking over everything in sight trying to get away from the guards his mother had sent to catch them.

Eriol had left 3 years ago. And he took the humour, fun, and happy side of Syaoran with him.

Syaoran then sat down underneath the window and closed his eyes, his head now throbbing with a fast produced headache. And let sleep take over yet again.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

"Syoaran. Syoaran! Come down! Hurry up and eat your breakfast, we could cut that now that I think of it. Oh just come down here the girls and their parents will all be here in 5 minutes!" Syaoran's mother, Yelan, yelled from the living room.

Syaoran abruptly awoke by the sound of his mother's panicky voice. 'What did she say?', he thought to himself. 'Come - eat - girls - here - with - parents.'

"WHAT?!"

"Now he is awake," Yelan said calmly to one of the maids. "And about time too. Hey get your butt down here you have to look proper for the proposal arrangement meeting!"

"PROPOSAL? You never told me anything thing about me getting proposed. And now?" Syoaran said as he pounded down the stairs, his eyes filled with surprise and rage.

"You never asked," was Yelan's simple reply.

Syaoran's eyes filled rapidly with horror.

"Never asked? Mother you want me to choose a woman to marry THIS MORNING! I think I should have known about this before THIS MORNING!" Syoaran continued ranting.

"Oh stop fussing. Now that you are awake, go and get dressed. I have a surprise for you. Go get ready. I will give you," she looked at the giant clock and back at him "2 minutes."

"Mother, my surprise is not a girl you think suitable for me is it? You know I just learned about this and I think I have all the right to choose a wife myself an -"

"Tick tock, tick tock," his mother mimicked.

"FINE! See? I'm going UP the stairs."

"Why me?" Syoaran said to himself and started to get ready.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Syaoran came bounding down the stairs in record time. He knew that when his mother said two minutes, she wanted him down by two minutes or he would have to face the consequences.

His mother was waiting for him outside in the front garden. He went over to her just as she was smelling one of her beloved roses.

"Ah son, this is a token of my gratitude for you growing up to be a wonderful King-"

"Mother, I am not King yet. Are you bribing me or something?"

"Just let me finish my speech!" She said quickly. Then her voice magically changed to soft and soothing again.

"'It' has come extra excited to see you."

Suddenly a blur of blue rushed to towards them, Syaoran's eyes grew wide and he tried to get out of the way but the figure followed him still.

BAM!

The 'thing' had collided with him.

"Owwww.." Syaoran groaned. Then he looked up, navy blue eyes beaming back at him.

"Eriol!" Syaoran shouted as he got to his feet. They both gave each other pats on the back.

"Good to see you too bud," Eriol said.

"I will let you two exchange stories," Yelan said as she was leaving.

"Thanks mother, you know you really had me believing you had a proposal arrangement meeting planned." Syaoran said happily.

"Who said we weren't having that?" Yelan replied coolly.

"WHAT?!" Syaoran roared yet again.

"It will just be delayed until 5pm today." She said as if Syaoran had not yelled a menacing yell loud enough for you to hear ringing in your ears for quite some time.

"Ugh," Syaoran said as Yelan walked off. "Mothers."

"Don't worry bud! I'll be with you to help you choose the perfect girl!"

"Thanks for the words of support", Syaoran said to him grouchily.

**A/N:** Now will Syaoran get all the annoying brats he expects to meet at the party? Will he actually meet the girl of his dreams? Will our Eriol get caught up by one of the girls or will he continue to help Syaoran? Or rather, mock him? Find out on the next chapter of

ROGUISH LOVE!

**Thanks guys**

**ImmortalWishes  
**


	2. More proposal discussions and scheme pla...

**Chapter 2: **

**More proposal discussions and scheme plannings.**

Another day was drawing in as the sun crept silently from the east, pouring its rays through the windows of content sleepers. In a particular room, in a tower high above the rest of the castle, an auburn head popped out from under pink bed sheets.

Sakura sighed and smiled. She felt so comfortable in her bed. She had absolutely no intention of getting out when:

"KAIJU! Hurry up and get down here! We have to talk to you!" Yelled a deep and for Sakura, irritating voice.

Sakura groaned and reluctantly slipped out of her bed and into the washroom, bed sheets astray. She jumped down the stairs two by two and went into the living room to meet both her brother and father.

"Good Morning Sakura," her father said. "Good morning father and Touya." She glared at the brother who had made her get up so early. "Nice to see you awake at a decent hour, kaiju. What caused you to awaken?" He said with an innocent face on.

Sakura was etching closer and closer to Touya planning on giving him an extra hard stomp on the foot when her dad's voice caught her.

"Sakura, You are now seventeen and need to find a husband to take care of you-"

"WHAT?" Sakura yelled causing both men to clasp their ears with their hands in horror of them never being able to work again.

"Sakura", her father said yet again, when he felt it safe to release his ears from his tight grasp. He knew it would be a hard discussion whether he eased into it or not, so he had decided to just pop the question.

"You can yell to your hearts content once I am done speaking." He sighed and continued, "as I said, you are seventeen, a good age for a princess to be married off and start ruling her own kingdom.

"A proposal arrangement meeting is being held at the Li kingdom tonight, where a bunch of girls are to be for dinner. Queen Yelan's son is going to make a decision on whom to marry out of the girls that will be there. I think it a very wise idea to attend seeing that they are intelligent people with impressive backgrounds.

"I expect you to be there. I will come with you, Touya will not." Her father finished.

Sakura looked at her father with astonished eyes, then at her brother who did not meet her gaze.

He had his head down, his face scrunched up in anger, his hands balled into fists, muttering words under his breath.

Her father looked at Sakura. "Now speak child. Let me hear your point of view on this matter."

Sakura took a deep breath and started.

"Father, I do not want to go to dinner and act my best to impress some self-absorbed git who is probably looking for someone absolutely the opposite of me! Why do I have to stand in line and be observed by all the elders there? I for one do not like being treated like that and picked out only if I am the most beautiful! They won't care who I am! Prince Li isn't going to care for me! I am just going to be thrown out because I am not what they are looking for! I am not going to let my dignity be at risk!" Sakura gasped for breath.

Her father looked at her with kind eyes. "Sakura, marriage is a very important thing. It bonds two souls together. You will not be given off to someone who does not deserve you. I am your father, I will make sure of that. This is not some competition to be won, although it may seem like it. Now, you just be the funny, kind and enthusiastic girl you are and all will be well. And I promise, you will only marry for love."

Sakura felt a little less angry and a little more courage in her heart.

Touya looked up, his hands no longer in fists. He reconciled, 'I know that father will not let Sakura be given off to someone she does not belong to. He let me marry for love. Now I have Kaho at my side, whom I know will always be there for me.'

Touya smiled at his sister. Fujitaka looked at her once again, "So, are you willing?" He asked.

Sakura looked at him thoughtfully, as if still debating with herself. She sighed and accepted.

She was about to trudge upstairs when her father included, "oh, did I mention Tomoyo is coming as well?"

Sakura screamed in glee causing both the men to clasp their ears again.

"Really? Really? Oh this is great! Now I don't need to deal with that loser all by myself! YES!"

* * *

It was nearing 4pm, and Syaoran had already changed his clothes an hour earlier.

He was wearing an emerald green dress shirt, his favourite colour, with black dress pants to go smoothly with it.

"Damn this whole arrangement thing! I have no use of marriage, but I must go along with it in order to keep the respect of the elders as well as my mother."

"Talking to yourself again bud?" Eriol popped in, dressed in a navy blue dress shirt along with black dress pants.

"Shut it Eriol. You're so smug only because this is not your arrangement, err, thing about to be held."

"When did you figure that out?" Eriol said, indeed with a very smug smile on his face.

"Come on, you have got to help me get out of this!" Syaoran pleaded his friend.

"And what may I ask, am I supposed to do?" Eriol asked, one of his eye brows raised.

"Think!" Syaoran suggested.

"Hmm," Eriol scratched his chin for more impact. "How about, you tell your mother - no?"

"Well thought out dunce." Syaoran said to his friend with a smirk on his face.

"Alright," said Eriol, "go jump in a well?"

Syaoran hit the back of Eriol's head causing Eriol to growl. "Owww. What the hell was that for?"

"I was just trying to see if that had any impact on the way your brain works," said Syaoran innocently.

"Alright let's see," Syaoran started.

"Hmm, maybe we can think of some obstacles they have to through, obstacles that no girl can handle. I will tell my mother that I am only going to marry a girl who can do it all! But ALL of them will FAIL!!!" Syaoran said, proud of his sudden ability to think of good plans.

"Hey, that really is a good idea!" Eriol commented. "Now all we have to do is think of the obstacles!" Eriol said with fake enthusiasm.

Syaoran grunted at him. "I am working on it."

* * *

"Tomoyo! I am sooo happy that you are coming with me! This will be so much fun! Hey! Maybe he will even pick you to marry him, eh?" Sakura said, both eyebrows raised and nodding.

Tomoyo cleared her throat. "I don't think so Sakura, I'm only coming to keep you company."

Sakura's heart sank. "Ah, well, uh, fine. But, I'm still happy!"

Sakura was over at Tomoyo's place helping her pack her clothes, her sowing material, all her sowing pins, needles, and her sowing machine.

'Boy this girl has a lot of stuff,' Sakura thought. "Tomoyo are you sure about bringing all this? I mean, is this all necessary?"

"Most definitely!" Was Sakura's answer from Tomoyo.

"I have got to make you the best clothes so as to make prince charming completely fall in love with you!" Tomoyo babbled with stars in her eyes.

"Right Tomoyo, by the way he is not prince charming and I don't plan on falling in love with him. Just don't get any creepy ideas, you are totally freaking me out!"

"Whatever are you talking about dear Sakura?" Tomoyo asked simply.

"Whatever." Sakura sighed and sat on Tomoyo's bed. Boy was this going to be one long, annoyingly, irritating, drag.

**  
A/N:** So! Will our heroine survive these master obstacles the boys are planning? Will Sakura actually think that Mr. Prince charming is indeed charming? Will Eriol be able to keep his jaw up after seeing Sakura's best friend's beauty? Will our dear Syaoran be able to endure the massive stampedes of desperate princesses? Find out on the next chapter of:

ROGUISH LOVE!

**Thanks guys**

**ImmortalWishes **


	3. Getting Ready

**Chapter 3: **

**Getting Ready**

Sakura awoke from a nap on Tomoyo's bed. She had fallen asleep while trying to helping her best friend pack. She got up with a brutal headache, groaning, she rubbed her forehead fiercely.

"Tomoyo, I seriously don't get it. Why are you packing so much if you are not even going to try and impress the prince?" She was still at Tomoyo's house - more like humongous mansion now, watching her pack her immense amount of clothes.

"I just have to be prepared for anything."

"Like what? A tornado?" Sakura asked in mock.

"Hey! That's a good idea! What if a tornado did come along? I have to pack extra materials!"

Sakura groaned yet again. 'Could groaning so much be bad for a person?' She wondered.

"What time is it?" She asked to no one in particular. Tomoyo simply glanced at her watch.

"A quarter after 4."

"HOE?!"

"What the hell-?"

"Tomoyo! We have to be there at 5!"

"OH MY GOSH! You never told me! Hurry! WE MUST NOT BE LATE! – Sakura? Where do you think you are going?"

"Err," Sakura said dumbly. She was a meter away from the door. "I have to go home and get ready! Obviously!"

"Ya, right. You are going nowhere missy. Come back here this instant!" Tomoyo ordered motherly.

Sakura slumped her head down and slowly walked over and sat on Tomoyo's bed guiltily.

'Why am I sitting here again? Oh yeah, Tomoyo. Wonder what she would do if I made a run for it right about – no, I shouldn't really. She would probably kill me. No worse. Put loads of make up on my dead body! Now that would be embarrassing...' Sakura continued to reflect on the horribly excruciating ways Tomoyo would make her pay if she dashed out, as Tomoyo preached.

"Sakura Kinomoto! Since we were children who has been making the most wonderfully kawaii outfits for you?

"You."

"Who has always been there for you to lean on through those harsh times when you absolutely had no idea what to wear?

"You."

Sakura watched the clock tick on her wristwatch.

'Hhmm', she thought to herself while Tomoyo continued. 'I wonder how much of a jerk that Li is. His head is probably bloated with the thought that he is oh so handsome like all the other boys in town,' She sighed. ' I just hope that it won't be too boring, not to mention humiliating.'

"And I will now conclude – Sakura? Sakura! You're not even listening to me ARE YOU?"

"Huh? Oops. Sorry, Tomoyo."

Tomoyo sighed. "No worries, I guess. What time is it? Oh my gosh. OH MY GOSH! We only have 25 minutes to be there!!!"

Suspenseful music..... Dan Dan Daaaaaaaaan!!!!!

The colour from Sakura's face drained. She had not planned things out at all. She should have realised. Her father was counting on her to be at the Li mansion with Tomoyo on time and ready, and she was going to let him down. "Oh no, oh no," Sakura said to herself.

While Sakura was contemplating how significantly disorganised she was, Tomoyo was hurriedly searching her closet.

"Here it is!" She screamed.

She held out a beautiful emerald gown. The magnificent material was one that clung to curves and it flowed down past her feet. The thin straps connected to the bodice which was decorated by a golden thread that made out flowing flowers and her heels were gold to match.

In a minute a twenty-seven seconds flat, Tomoyo had Sakura dressed properly with a tad bit of make up on and her hair tied in an elegant bun with parts out to frame her face.

Tomoyo then ushered Sakura to go downstairs and pick out one of the bikes in the garage.

Sakura followed her orders not complaining, still astonished at how fast and nicely Tomoyo had got her ready. Sakura picked out a cool silver one and was standing by it when Tomoyo rushed in.

Her hair was out with half tied up and a beautiful velvet gown on her. It had waves of silver stitched on as a design and she had some eyeliner and lipstick on.

Tomoyo made a motion telling Sakura to get on the bike while she had a bobby pin in her mouth. Sakura got on and Tomoyo slid on after her.

Sakura put her right foot on the pedal of the bike and started to wheel herself out of the driveway.

They received stares and raised eyebrows from a lot of pedestrians whom they past.

It was quite a strange sight.

Two very pretty girls in quite magnificent dresses speeding down the sidewalk, faces scrunched up in determination.

"What happened to your limo driver?" Sakura asked, her breath heaving.

"He's on vacation!" Tomoyo yelled, obviously annoyed with herself.

"Greeeeaaaaaat," Sakura groaned, again. She followed the directions her father had given to her this morning.

'Turn left here, then another left, sharp right and you should see it directly in front of you.' Sakura chanted to herself.

Both Sakura and Tomoyo gasped as the large and beautiful mansion came into view. Sure Sakura and Tomoyo's mansions were big, but this was enormous!

The perfectly white walls showed that the family had class. The water fountain and remarkable garden showed that they had respect. Man these people had everything!

'Wow. There is probably going to be a lot more girls here than I thought there would be.' Sakura thought. 'I don't need this.' Sakura groaned.

Tomoyo and Sakura pedaled up - well, Sakura pedaled up the pathway and stopped in front of the marble staircase leading to magnificently grand doors.

A valet came up to them and asked, "may I?"

Sakura looked down at the bike she was sitting on and then at Tomoyo who just shrugged. "Sure," she replied.

They both got off and watched the valet ride on the bike to the parking place screaming "Wee!"

They both rose their eyebrows at each other, shrugged and then sighed as they looked back up at the breathtaking mansion.

Sakura looked at her watch. It was 2 minutes to 5pm. They would just about make it.

Tomoyo looked at Sakura and asked, "You ready?"

"I guess."

"Well, at least our hair isn't messed up."

Suddenly a gush of wind came at them from nowhere.

"Greeaat." Tomoyo said, very sarcastically.

"Here goes nothing," said Sakura and she made to knock on the door.

A butler opened it. He was extremely tall and thin with a grim smile that Sakura guessed he always wore. "Welcome to the Li mansion ladies," he said and showed them the way to the Grand Hall.

They entered unknowingly into a room where over fifty people sat patiently. The ladies, the parents, the elders, the queen, and the prince.

Sakura and Tomoyo walked through the giant doors only to be met by 100 eyes.

Yet the only one that caught Sakura's attention was a set of intense amber ones.

**  
ImmortalWishes**


	4. Sparks Fly

**Chapter 4: **

**Sparks Fly**

Sakura's eyes stayed hooked on the magnificent amber eyes staring back at her. She was so caught by their deep waves of curiosity that she didn't even notice the 98 eyes watching her. Tomoyo nudged Sakura, warning her about all the people's stares.

"Ahem," A male voice started. Sakura suddenly jolted back into reality and drew her eyes away from where they were destined to stay forever.

"Queen Yelan, let me introduce you to my daughter, Kinomoto Sakura and her accompanying friend, Daidouji Tomoyo."

Sakura looked at her father, whose eyes showed they were glad that she had made it in time yet worried at her first appearance. He nodded his head motioning for her to formally introduce herself and Sakura did as she was expected to.

"Hello, I am Kinomoto Sakura, thank you for inviting me to dinner tonight. I hope all goes well." A few giggles from the other princesses followed her words. Sakura looked at them, disgust forming in her eyes yet she didn't want that to show for her father wouldn't agree to it at all. The girls had tons of eye shadow the colour of their dresses on them and dark red lipstick. 'Probably the skimpy ones that git of a prince will be interested in,' she thought to herself.

Her speech, if you could call it that, was brief, like Sakura had always been, yet what could she say? It had taken her a moment or two to compose herself and figure out what everyone expected. Now, Sakura could only wait for a look of approval or the look of revulsion she expected from the Queen.

To Sakura's surprise, Queen Yelan, dressed in sweeping robes of a deep navy colour, smiled at her. Sakura's eyes then moved onto the four elders also sitting in chairs that showed them to have great power amongst the people of the Li kingdom. Unlike the queen, it looked as if the elders found it hard to smile altogether. The looks on their faces clearly showed that Sakura did not impress them at all.

Queen Yelan gestured towards two empty chairs, where Sakura and Tomoyo were to sit then she stood up to make the introduction for all.

"To the Li kingdom, I welcome all other royal families. We hope all the princesses enjoy their stays here."

'"Enjoy their stays here"?' What was the queen talking about? Weren't they just here for dinner and then that cotton-headed prince would announce that he wanted to marry the most irritating one of them all?'

Sakura looked towards her father, who had his eyes set on the Queen making her speech, in a respectful way. It seemed he expected it all. He wasn't surprised and unwilling to let his daughter stay at a palace in which she wasn't accustomed to, as she had hoped he would be.

Sakura's stomach grumbled. Sakura's eyes widened in shock and she placed her right hand on her stomach. "Shit," she whispered growing frantic.

"What is it?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura's stomach grumbled as if to answer Tomoyo. Tomoyo's eyes widened too.

"I- I- it's my stomach. It's growling," she whispered.

"I can tell. It's loud!"

"Dammit! I knew I should have eaten lunch."

"You Baka! You didn't eat lunch? You must be starving- "

Sakura's stomach grumbled, really loud.

"Oh shit shit shit shit shit!" She whispered in a panicky voice. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

While Sakura was growing redder and redder the Queen was still making her welcome speech.

"Now let me introduce you all to my son, prince Li."

She held out her left hand pointing gracefully to where prince Li was seated. Sakura's eyes along with everyone else's followed the direction Queen Yelan was pointing in and suddenly Sakura's eyes grew rounder in surprise.

The amber-eyed man had stood up and bowed.

Prince Li started to recite his speech, "Hello all, as you now know, I am Prince Li and I welcome all the princ- "

Sakura's stomach groaned even louder and she abruptly stood up in front of everyone. Clutching her stomach, her face red, she ran out of the hall and away from everyone's penetrating stares. She fled not being able to hold her hunger much longer. She needed to find something to eat and fast! Then maybe her stomach would calm down.

Everyone's eyes clung to the run away princess and Fujitaka blushed with embarrassment.

Syaoran cleared his throat and started to continue on with his speech after he had composed himself.

"Well, as I was saying. I welcome all fifty princesses here and I hope you all enjoy the 2 weeks you will remain here. Your rooms will be assigned to you, three in each. And do not fret ladies, each room is indeed large."

'Whoa!' Tomoyo thought, doing the math in her head quickly. 'Fifty plus myself is fifty-one. Ummm. Three in each room, that makes, 17 rooms!'

"The rooms have already been assigned and numbered. You will find all of this information on the large board at the back of the hall."

In unison, every princess and chaperone turned their heads around to the back of the hall. There they saw the board as well as fifty small red sacks with gold ribbons tying them sitting on a large table with a shimmering red table cloth on it.

"There are fifty bags there for every princess. Inside is the key to your room and a puzzle. The puzzle is a clue, which you must find the answer to as you explore the Li grounds. Now since this is a royal palace there are places in which you are not permitted to enter, which is why there is a map in the bag as well.

"Now princesses, I would like you all to follow me into the Li Training Hall in which you will have your first test."

Prince Li bowed his head and swiftly walked toward the great doors to lead the princesses to the Li Training Hall.

A burst of murmuring filled the hall. All of which were young female voices. Each princess had one parent there and all of them were not saying a word, just looking as if they expected it all.

When Syaoran noticed that the princesses were still seated he blushed and turned around to face them.

"Follow me," he said.

The girls all started standing up and so did Tomoyo, she was hoping to go look for Sakura when the other princesses went to do their 'tests.'

Eriol, who was standing at the door knew what the amethyst-eyed girl was thinking and spoke softly to her when she passed by him.

"Do not worry Miss, you can head to the Training Hall and wait for Princess Kinomoto there. I know you are just accompanying her but you may watch. I will go find her for you. Oh by the way, here is your key."

Eriol gazed at Tomoyo's face while speaking to her, he was thrilled that she was not here to try and win the heart of the prince.

Tomoyo, enthralled by Eriol's good looks and matureness looked at the key in his hand.

"For the room?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Thank you for going to look for Sakura," Tomoyo said and then looked away from his eyes to the hallway.

"No problem," Eriol said, a smile playing across his face.

* * *

'Man that girl is totally gorgeous!' Eriol thought, smiling widely now. He was walking down the hallways to find Sakura but he had no idea where she could be.

'Damn! Why is this castle so huge!?' He thought exasperatedly.

He turned the corner and suddenly smashed into someone. Eriol closed his eyes although he knew that the impact wasn't so much that he would fall down.

"Gomen nasai!" He heard suddenly.

When he opened his eyes, he saw a head of auburn hair in front of his face. When the girl looked up he realised that it was the princess that arrived late to the hall.

"Hey you're Princess Ki- " Eriol started but was cut off by Sakura's rash explanations.

"I-I-I was really, really hungry so I just had to leave the hall because my stomach was just grumbling sooo much! I walked on and on and ended up being lost! Then I found your butler Wei and he led me to the kitchen and the people cooking there are all really, really nice and they gave me some cake to eat! I am really really re- "

Eriol suddenly started laughing. He was laughing so hard that tears had started to come out of the corners of his eyes.

Sakura pouted when she realised that this guy wasn't here to punish her. "Hey, why are you laughing?"

"Well cuz you are just 'really, really' funny!" Eriol said between chuckles.

Sakura eyebrows shot up. "Hey! I got really scared!"

"No need to have. Ok," Eriol let out some breath. "I've calmed down now. You don't have to worry. My name is Hiiragizawa Eriol, Prince Li's friend."

Sakura shook Eriol's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you Hiiragizawa-kun, my name is Kinomoto Sakura," Sakura said politely.

"Yes, I know that already. Listen we have to get to the Li Training Hall."

"What? Why?"

"I will explain everything that Prince Li is explaining there to you while we walk, ok?"

"Sure," Sakura said interested in what she was to do in the 'Training Hall.'

"Alright, so this is basically to test your strength. All of the princesses will be standing spread out in the hall with strong low tables in front of them. There will be a large piece wood placed on each table. You will also receive a sword. Now your goal is to cut the piece of wood with the sword. I know, obvious enough and simple enough, yet there is a twist, like there is to every test.

"With each passing second, the sword will gain extra weight making it more and more difficult to hold up and even more difficult to cut wood with. I told Prince Li that it might be too much for princesses but he said that the starting weight wouldn't be much so you should be able to manage"

"Wow, what magic," Sakura said.

By now, they had arrived at the Li Training Hall and were standing in front of its grand doors.

"Well, good luck princess Kinomoto," Eriol said, reaching out to open the door.

"You can call me Sakura and thanks."

Eriol opened the doors and Sakura was met with forty-nine princesses with tables in front of them all struggling to hold up their swords. Then Sakura realised - they had started with out her!

"Sakura!" Tomoyo said running up to her. "Do you know what to do??"

"Yes I do Tomoyo, don't worry. But where is my place??"

"There!" Eriol said pointing to one at the back corner.

"Ok, ja guys!" Sakura yelled and picked up the hem of her dress and started to run to her spot.

"Looks like you found her," Syaoran said walking up to Eriol and Tomoyo.

"Yes but why didn't you wait for her?" Eriol said slightly angry.

Syaoran threw up his hands in defence. "It's not as if it would help. They are all not going to do it!"

Tomoyo glared at him. "I wouldn't be so sure if I was you."

Sakura ran to her spot and looked at her sword and large piece of wood.

'Alright,' Sakura thought to herself. 'As Eriol said, it will gain weight every second so I must do it fast,' Sakura thought looking at the princesses around her who were wasting their time and thus making their swords painfully heavy. 'The key is to do it fast!'

Sakura having special training herself flexed her arms. 'I should be able to do this,' she thought. 'I am the card captor mistress after all!'

Sakura took her shawl and tied it tightly around her waist, then she breathed in and plunged for her sword.

Holding it tightly by the handle, she brought it up. 'What the hell did he mean by the starting weight not being that heavy?!?' Sakura groaned. Maybe the sword had started to gain weight while she was still making her way through the castle to the test.

Because it was heavy to begin with, it took her longer than she wanted to pick it up totally. Magically, weight added to the sword and Sakura staggered a bit.

Ignoring the beads of sweat she felt trailing down her forehead, Sakura yelled out,

"KYYYYAAAA!!!"

She brought the sword down and swiftly cut through the bulky piece of wood. The symmetrical pieces fell on the table with a clang. The sword stuck in the middle of the table.

Sakura gasped for air and wiped her forehead. She smiled in satisfaction and looked towards Eriol and Tomoyo. They both clapped and cheered. Tomoyo's face was full of happiness and Eriol's was full of surprise.

Sakura then turned her gaze towards the man standing beside Eriol.

Prince Li had on the most priceless expression of shock and terror, which only made Sakura smile wider with triumph and mischief.

**Thanks for the reviews everyone!**

-~Immortal Wishes~-


	5. Feelings, pillows, and stubborness

**Chapter 5:**

**Feelings, Pillows, and Stubbornness**

Sakura sighed and plopped herself down on her bed. The comfy and bouncy mattress pushed her back up and in again as the sheets came to meet her gracefully.

She turned her head sideways to feel the softness of them. She rubbed her cheek against the sheets and relaxed her body.

Sakura felt extremely worn out and she was very grateful that she had an overwhelmingly comfortable bed to go to sleep on.

She felt herself drifting off to sleep peacefully when Tomoyo's voice cut her off from the wonderful dreamland she wanted to be in.

"Um... Sakura?"

"....Hoe..?"

"You might want to change your clothes."

Sakura reluctantly opened her eyes and looked down at her body. She was still dressed in the gown Tomoyo had made for her.

Sakura groaned.

Groggily she dragged herself out of bed and towards the bathroom to change into her pyjamas.

Currently Tomoyo and Sakura were in their room in the Li mansion.

When Tomoyo had opened the door, she had gasped in excitement. The Li family sure wanted to impress their guests, and they did, with flying colours!

As she walked through the doors, she took in every aspect of the room. Straight ahead of her was the middle bed with two other identical ones on either side of that one. They had deep red sheets with golden threads curving all around the quilts as designs. There were matching canopies over each bed also.

In the spaces between each bed there were doors leading to a large balcony over looking the Li grounds. To Tomoyo's right were grand doors leading to the finest bathroom. It had peach marble floors and red walls to accent it with class. The washroom was extravagant. It had a Jacuzzi, three washbasins, a large mirror and lights all around.

The place was stunning!

Even dinner was excellent! The food was simply delicious and made you feel like going to bed in perfect bliss.

Sakura had come out of the bathroom and was walking towards the bed. She had a childish expression on her face of satisfaction. She slowly drew back the quilt and sheets of the bed to the left of the room, and crawled into it. She then pulled the sheet and quilt up to her neck and leaned her head back into the pillow.

She sighed with contempt. It was as if she had never had a proper bed before! I mean come on! She was a princess for heaven's sake. Although, even the Kinomoto Kingdom did not have the luxuries that the Li Kingdom was showing that they had.

Tomoyo sat at her vanity table brushing her long hair. "You really did a great job today Sakura."

Sakura opened her eyes and smiled.

"I mean," started Tomoyo. "You made me so proud when you put that look of disbelief on Prince Li's face!" Tomoyo faked a tear.

Sakura giggled. "I know, I was so happy when I did that too." She looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"Hey Tomoyo," Sakura said slyly after a while. "That Hiiragizawa-kun is pretty cute eh?"

Tomoyo's head immediately shot towards Sakura and she blushed.

"Oooooo," Sakura cooed and started giggling. "My little Tomoyo is growing up!" She fake-teared as well. "She's starting to take interest in boys! Oh dear dear, we must have a talk little missy."

Sakura jumped out of bed, all thoughts of sleep gone from her face for she knew that she had a perfect chance to embarrass Tomoyo completely, and she wasn't about to let it go!

Sakura rushed towards Tomoyo and sat on the floor in front of her. She held both of Tomoyo's hands in hers.

"Little Tomoyo," Sakura said making her voice tremble slightly on purpose. "You must take severe caution when around boys you like, or who may like you," she added cackling inside when Tomoyo blushed again.

"Now sweetheart. We must discuss a certain topic. I think it is time for you to learn these things."

Tomoyo eyes widened.

"Something called.....hormones."

"SAKURAAAA!!! What the hell??? I am 17 too you know!" She yelled, slightly angry because she knew that her face resembled a tomato, but she also laughed.

Sakura started laughing and she couldn't stop.

"I am gooooood," she said in between chuckles. "I got you to admit your love for Hiiragizawa-kun!"

Tomoyo went to sit on her bed. She brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.

"You can't say I 'love' him Sakura. I only just met him." Then after a while a smile spread across her face. "But he is pretty cute, ne?"

Sakura grinned. "You guys look sooooo cute together! Oh, I can't wait to be an aunty!!"

Tomoyo sweat dropped. "What?"

"Oh don't lie Tomoyo. You know you want to be his girlfriend."

A pink tint grew on Tomoyo's cheeks.

"You know you want to hug him."

The pink crawled over Tomoyo's nose and grew around her neck too.

"You know you want to kiss him."

Tomoyo's eyes bulged out a bit and the pink turned redder.

"And have babies."

Tomoyo now did not look like a tomato at all. She had exceeded that point.

"SAKURAAAAAAAA!!!"

Sakura winced and her eyes widened as she saw a white blur coming towards her, really fast.

WHACK.

Tomoyo's pillow collided with Sakura's face and the impact caused her to lose her balance and fall backwards.

Sakura took the pillow off her face and sat back up. She then stood up and dusted off her pj's.

"You did not just do that."

Tomoyo smirked, "oh yes I did."

"Oh ya??"

"YA!"

"Well, you crossed that border missy. This means WAR!!!"

Sakura ran towards her bed and grabbed her pillow and threw it, hard.

WHACK.

It connected with the side of Tomoyo's head and she fell back on the bed.

And thus was the beginning of operation: Pillow War.

* * *

Syoaran was pacing his room back and forth, with the occasional stop to look out his window, and the occasional scratch of the head, and we must not forget the occasional grunt.

"What the hell happened?" Syoaran groaned loudly. "Everything was going well until SHE came along."

"CRAP!!"

He slumped himself down on his bed and put his head in his hands. He tried to think of something that could stop ALL of them.

"Oh wait," he said to himself. "The riddle. They wouldn't be able to guess that in a million years! MUAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Eriol who was standing outside Syoaran's door with his hand in the air ready to knock, sweat dropped.

He opened the door without knocking and peeped his head in.

"Errrrrr. Are you ok bud?"

Syoaran's head shot towards the door.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"Ummm, yeah. But you kinda freaked me out. I thought I better check in on you without waiting for an answer to my knock."

"Whatever man."

"So, are you ok? I thought you might be going hysterical, I mean, first you were talking to yourself, now cackling? I would say you need a girlfriend but you're going to get married once this is all over."

"No!"

Eriol sweat dropped. "Huh?"

"I am not going to get married once this all over! Eriol haven't you been listening to anything I have been saying? Remember the obstacles? Remember our plans?"

"Yeah I remember alright. I'm not THAT stupid ok? But you know your mom won't let you off the hook that easily."

Syoaran's eyes grew puppy-doggish. "But mother said that I get to choose a girl that I like. What if I don't find one? Then I don't have to ever marry, right?"

Eriol sighed, his 'I feel for you, you desperate loser' sigh.

"Syoaran, bud," he walked over and put his hand on Syoaran's shoulder.

"There are 50 girls here."

"Actually, Shing-fa-lang-fewn-sha had to go home. Some pimple problem."

"Ok, well, there are 49 girls here. All of whom are gorgeous. Odds are, one of them will appeal to you, right?"

"I don't think so."

"Are you gay or something?"

"WHAT??"

"Just asking cuz a lot of guys would do anything to have that many girls after him!"

Syoaran sighed. "Then how come I don't feel as lucky as I am?"

"By the end of this. I assure you, you will be."

Syoaran, still very stubborn, denied this aswell.

"If I have to marry, I want someone who is strong but not as strong as me. I mean, I can't have the wife beating the crap out of me in a battle eh? But yeah, I want someone strong and smart, as well as beautiful. And I don't think that a bunch of prissy and desperate princesses who only have the looks component will add up to that."

"I understand bud. But still, open your mind cuz you might be surprised."

Then Eriol left, leaving Syoaran back to his thoughts. He was just about to get up and start pacing again but decided he better sleep on it. Or else his head would explode.

* * *

Sakura and Tomoyo's pillow fight was as hyper as ever. If you stood outside the door, you could hear everything.

WHACK.

"OOF."

WHACK.

"AH!"

WHACK.

"Owwww."

WHACK.

"Can we stop now?"

WHACK.

Cackle.

"....Please??"

WHACK.

Cackle again.

"OWWWW!!!"

WHACK.

"Are you giving in? CHICKEN!!"

WHACK.

"NEVER!!!"

And so the war went on for a little while longer, and finally the two princesses fell asleep on the floor, not on their beds, feathers all around. Sakura slept peaceful with no doubt or worry in her mind, and no fear at all for what lay ahead of her.

A new sun, a new day, and a new beginning, with a new fight.

**YAY! That was pretty fun to write. Thank you all for the reviews! *Hugs* My new goal is FIFTY! So help me out plz. This chapter was for you guys! And I will update when fifty has been reached.**

JUST A NOTE: the girl Syoaran said who left because of her pimple problem was supposed to be Sakura and Tomoyo's room mate. She had to go because I think it would be better without her.

Thanks for reading.

Ciao  
**  
-**ImmortalWishes****


	6. Surprises

**Chapter 6: **

**Surprises  
**

The birds sang as the new day drew in. Syaoran rolled around on his bed. He was sweating buckets, and was suffocating from the heat of his bed sheets. Gratefully, he swung himself out of bed and stumbled over to the washroom.

His bare-feet stomped and slightly stuck to the floor with his sweat. His breathing was heavy and his head was swirling.

Once he was in the bathroom, he clutched the rim of the sink. He planted his feet on the marble floor and willed himself not to fall. A sickening feeling was growing inside him as his vision blurred.

Suddenly, images started to blink in Syoaran's mind. Fire, swords, torches, spears. Children running for their lives, their faces filled with horror, every inch of happiness drained from them. Their mothers crying out in pain. Soldiers marching and entering every household, grabbing everything, and killing everyone. Gashes, cut off body parts, and blood.

Syoaran closed his eyes and a sound escaped his lips. He winced and started to mumble in his dizziness. Then his head shot over the sink and he vomited.

The sights in his head were too sickening to the stomach to do anything else. Syoaran was a strong man, he was in the army and was trained to fight anything. But seeing people dieing, seeing children's innocent lives lost and their blood smeared all over the village, was too much for him.

And the worst thing was that they were stuck in his head. He couldn't get them out - those brutal images from his disturbing nightmares, the nightmares that had been reoccurring and getting more and more vivid as every day passed.

They made him not want to sleep, yet fatigue conquered him every night he tried to stay up, as always.

Syaoran's weak body slumped to the floor and he pressed his warm head on the cool marble of the bathroom. He coughed and groaned. He hated being as weak and as helpless as he felt now.

A strong, brave prince like him, was lying on his bathroom floor, from the exhaustion of a nightmare.

Pathetic. He felt pathetic.

An hour later, Syoaran was awoken from his sleep by the impatient knocking on his door.

The door was suddenly thrust open just as Syaoran was trying to stand up.

"Syaoran? Syoaran!" Eriol walked further into the room and saw the bathroom door open and heard the water running.

"Syoaran! Man, why didn't you answer me? I thought something had happened to you, you baka!"

Syoaran looked at Eriol and made him swallow his words. Syoaran had on an odd expression, well at least odd and rare for him. He looked like he had little sleep and his eyes were sad and depressed.

"Syoaran," Eriol started, a lot more softer than his 'hello'. "Are you alright bud?"

Syoaran got up and stood in front of his sink once more. He cupped his hands together and let some water pour into them. He brought his head down and splashed the cool water on his face. He sighed in contempt. Once his eyes were properly open, he turned around and wiped his face with his emerald green towel.

Syoaran sighed again and then looked at Eriol.

"I'm feeling much better now. It was a rough night, but I'm better."

"You want to talk about it?" Eriol asked softly, his eyes showing his concern for his best friend.

"Not at the moment. I really don't want to think about it." Syoaran said and started to make his way out of the bathroom.

"I understand." Eriol moved away from the bathroom door so that Syoaran could pass.

Syoaran slowly walked over to his dresser and picked out some more casual and comfortable clothes to wear. Then he went back to the bathroom, not saying a word.

"I'll wait for you here." Eriol said, respecting Syoaran's quietness. Syoaran went into the bathroom and closed the door slowly. As he made his way to take a refreshing shower, Eriol went to take a seat on Syoaran's bed.

He felt sad and depressed just by looking at his friends face. Whenever he was around Syoaran, Syoaran always had on an amused, shocked, terrified or slightly serious face. Never had Eriol seen that helpless and lonely expression on his best friend.

Eriol put his head in his hands. 'I wonder what's wrong with him,' Eriol thought.

'Well, whatever it is, I have to cheer him up before we go down to breakfast. His mother would be very disappointed and upset if she saw Syoaran that way.'

Syaoran came out of the bathroom in a better mood. His nausea dilemma had passed and he was cooled down and in comfortable clothes.

"So, ready for a fun filled day of tackling those princesses?" Eriol said trying to get Syoaran to think about something other than what was bothering him.

Syoaran groaned and a small smile spread across his face.

'Even though these girls are going to drive me mad, atleast Eriol is here to try and cheer me up no matter what the circumstance,' Syaoran thought gratefully.

Syoaran chuckled, "come on bud, let's go down to breafast and see how mother likes our lateness."

* * *

Sakura yawned and stretched, her eyes still closed. She rubbed her eyes a bit and squinted. She was a little surprised at her surroundings and then realised where she was. The Li mansion - a suitor for "prince charming."

'Greeeeeaaaaaaat,' Sakura thought in her head.

She softly looked towards the bathroom door as it was opening. Tomoyo stepped out, in a purple bathrobe with a white towel around her hair.

"Do you know how hard it is to wake you up? I struggled for a whole 5 minutes and then gave up," Tomoyo said smiling.

"Good morning to you to."

"Haha. You might want to get up now sleepy head. I mean doesn't that hurt?"

"Huh?"

Sakura looked down at her body and then only did she realise what Tomoyo was talking about.

It was her sleeping position. She was on the floor with her head propped up against the remains of the pillows, her right leg wrapped in the bed sheet numerous times, and her other foot bent and on Tomoyo's bed. Her right arm was leaning on the turned over vanity table chair and her left arm was tucked neatly under her odd pillow.

"Oh," she said and started to struggle getting up.

She finally managed, then squealed in pain.

"What? What is it?" Tomoyo asked.

"My, my arm. It feels... stuck."

"Stuck? How is it stuck? Nothing is connected to it except the rest of your body."

"No, I mean.... Like..... uh..... erm.....what's the word? .....Ummmmm.......a cramp! A cramp! HAHA! I figured it out!"

Tomoyo sweat dropped.

"Ok, then Sakura. Uhh, why don't you just go take a warm shower to ease the...cramp," Tomoyo said in a psychiatrist way.

"Ok!" Sakura said cheerfully, pleased with the idea.

She stepped into the bathroom and started to undress. She turned on the Jacuzzi tap and poured all sorts of scented soaps into it. After the temperature was just right and there were just enough bubbles, she slipped in.

Sakura's body relaxed and she sighed in bliss. 'I guess this place isn't so bad after all.'

* * *

Syoaran and Eriol walked into the breakfast hall and were met with the delicious waft of an expensive breakfast. Once they were in sight, they saw all of the princesses seated at the long table wearing clothes that to them were casual but to a normal person were a "tad" bit extravagant for breakfast.

"Good morning Syoaran," Queen Yelan said as Syoaran took his seat at the table beside her.

"Good morning mother," Syoaran said. His greeting was followed by a trail of giggles from the princesses and he rolled his eyes and rose his eye brows at Eriol.

Although Queen Yelan could be the calmest women and never show her emotions, as a proper lady would not. Syoaran could tell how she was really feeling, no matter how good she was at hiding it all the time.

Right now Syoaran could tell that his mother was being driven insane by all of the princesses and their giggles. Her eyes viciously asked him where he was and why he would leave her alone with all of them.

Syoaran tried to look innocent and replied in a whisper. "Mother I slept in by accident, besides it was your idea to invite them ALL here."

Queen Yelan glared at Syoaran through the corners of her eyes.

"Trust me Syoaran, there will be a good outcome, and one day you will thank me tremendously for it," she said smiling in her mishievious way.

"I doubt it mother," Syoaran replied.

"Oh I don't think you should, because you will feel like a fool later. By the way I do not see Miss. Kinomoto or Miss. Daidouji here do you?"

Syoaran pretended to look for them and then turned to his mother, "oh dear, they must have gone home!"

"Oh stop your pathetic acts of hope Syoaran. I know your plan. You are not going to weasel your way out of this boy," she said wryly. "Eriol," she said leaning over Syoaran. "Go to Miss. Daidouji ad Miss. Kinomoto's room and see if anything is wrong. Bring Syoaran along with you too," Syoaran rolled his eyes not to be unnoticed by his mother, but she ignored it. "Take the master key with you, but knock first."

"Alright," Eriol said standing up. He was about to get upwhen he felt some of the princesses' interested stares on him. Nervously he checked if Syoaran was following him or not. "Come on Syoaran," he said when he saw Syoaran still slumped in his seat.

"But I'm hungry," Syoaran said stubbornly. "Awwww!!!" The princesses all said in unison.

Syoaran got up and ran out of the breakfast hall at the speed of lightning which only made Eriol chuckle and then rush out following his friend.

'I only hope they hurry up,' Yelan thought as she politely passed the jam to one of the princesses, her smile fake.

* * *

Sakura was humming her favourite song while enjoying her bath. She reached out and pulled the plug of the tub and drained all the bubble water. Then she turned on the tap again to rinse herself with just water.

When she was done, she reached for her towel and dried herself. Then she slipped on her robe as well as a pair of slippers.

* * *

Syoaran and Eriol were right outside the door by now.

"Do we HAVE to check on them? I mean, who cares? If they don't want breakfast, let them starve!"

Eriol looked at Syoaran with a blank face. "Man, I have no idea why there are SO many girls here who want to marry you."

"Excuse me? They have lots of reasons!"

"Seriously, why would they want to marry you? It's definitely not for the looks."

Syoaran coughed and rose his eye brows.

"If fifty girls showed up for YOUR looks imagine how many would show up for ME," Eriol said, a bit loudly.

Syoaran started laughing. "You're kidding me! Right?"

"You're just jealous!"

"Of what?"

"Of this!" Eriol said spreading his hands out in front of his face.

Syaoran mock-laughed. "You can keep dreaming cuz I have got everything."

"Oh ya? Like what?"

"Well, the handsome facial features, the smarts and the bod!"

"And you are saying that I don't?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh ya?"

"Yeah!"

"Well you must be bliiiiiind buddy! Cuz I have got just as good a bod as you! Maybe even better!"

"Whatever man!"

"I am not kidding!"

"You keep thinking you look better than me, cuz that's only true in your DREAMS!"

"I don't think so!"

"Stop arguing with the obvious ok? I mean look at these abs!" Syoaran unbuttoned his shirt and was showing off his tanned abs to Eriol to try and get the fact that he looked better than him through Eriol's thick head.

"Well...I have them too!" It was Eriol's turn to unbutton his shirt and show off his abs to Syoaran.

Just as both these fine young mannered boys were checking whose abs were better, the door they were supposed to be knocking on opened.

"Who is- "

Syoaran's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged out. Eriol's glasses fell to the front of his nose and his mouth opened wide.

And what an odd sight it was.

Suddenly Syoaran's cheeks grew slightly pink as he realised who was standing in front of him.

Sakura was standing at the doorway to their room gawking at the awkward sight and sucking it all in. Then she realised what she was wearing, a bathrobe that was maybe a size too small.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

**Hehehe. I'm done! I tried to make this chapter LONG. Thank you all soooo much for the reviews! I want to get 80 with this chapter if possible and just to say, I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**Ja!**

**-ImmortalWishes**


	7. Ying and Yang

**The Longest Friggin' Chapter in my life.**

no, that's not the name....

**Chapter 7: **

**Ying and Yang**

Syaoran winced as the wooden door slammed in his face, the impact causing his chestnut hair to flow back. Eriol felt the same and looked at Syaoran oddly. He had already buttoned up his shirt but Syaoran was still in his "showing off abs pose."

There was an evident blush across Syaoran's face and Eriol smirked. Syaoran looked at Eriol strangely and then realized his position, his chest was still puffed out and his shirt was fully unbuttoned with his right hand on his abs.

"Dammit."

Syaoran scratched his head irritated and looked at Eriol, shooting daggers at him.

"You know we can't go down without them right?" Syaoran said with a helpless expression on his face.

"Yeah," Eriol sighed and leaned against the door's frame. "We'll just have to wait it out."

"But girls take so damn long to get ready!"

Eriol sighed again and looked at his friend with his all knowing smirk. "Bud, remember that all these princesses are here to win your hand in marriage. Once you do pick one, this will be your life story. Better get used to it cuz your wife is gonna make you wait alllllll the time. It's just how they are."

"And why do you think you know so much?" Syaoran asked, an irritated expression still on his face.

"Because I do. Remember whom you're talking to. The master at dealing with ladies, Eriol Hiiragizawa," he said with pride.

Syaoran just stared at Eriol as if something had gone wrong with him. "And that's supposed to be a good thing? Being you?"

Eriol looked at Syaoran, shocked to the bone. "How dare you say something like that when you know that all you want, is to be me!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yeah?"

* * *

Sakura's heart rate had increased a considerable amount. She leaned against the door with her eyes closed and her head tilting upwards.

"Oh My God."

Tomoyo burst out laughing, forgetting all about the comfort speech she had planned out in her head.

Sakura looked at her best friend who was at the moment suffocating from laughter, tears streaming down her face and all.

Tomoyo sighed and plopped herself down on her bed from the exhaustion of laughing.

Sakura walked over to Tomoyo's bed and sat at the bottom of it meanwhile shooting daggers at Tomoyo.

"If you're done laughing I advise you to change your clothes, after all, Eriol is out there you know."

That wiped the smile off of Tomoyo's face. Sakura had no idea what an effect her words would have on Tomoyo but she soon found out when Tomoyo zoomed off the bed and into her suitcase with lightning speed.

"What should I wear?!"

"It doesn't matter. Just wear jeans and a shirt."

Tomoyo looked at Sakura and pouted. "You sure?" She asked, slightly desperate.

"You really like him don't you?" Sakura asked, a full out grin plastered on her face.

Tomoyo blushed a crimson colour. "Yeah, I guess."

Sakura smiled. "It really doesn't matter what we are wearing. Not like there's a party right?"

"True."

Sakura headed to her own suitcase to find clothes to wear. Pulling out a pair of light blue jeans and a pink shirt, she closed her suitcase and walked over to the bathroom. She dressed herself and tied her hair up in a ponytail.

When Sakura walked out of the bathroom she saw that Tomoyo had also finished getting dressed but was standing in front of the vanity table mirror, putting on some eye liner.

"Sakura come here."

"What?"

"I want to put some eye liner on you."

"What for?"

"Come on, we're wearing normal clothes, yes, but you still have to look nice."

"But I don't wanna."

"Just come here," Tomoyo said in a strict motherly tone.

Sakura grunted and walked over to Tomoyo. When they were done getting ready, Sakura walked over to the door and opened it while putting on her running shoes. When the door was opened, Syaoran and Eriol were revealed leaning against the door as if trying to hear whatever was going on in the room.

"Why are you guys still here?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Uhh, my mother wants you downstairs for breakfast," Syaoran stated quite uncomfortably.

"Yeah, I guessed that, we were gonna come eventually you know. But why are you still here?" She asked bending down to tie her shoes.

"Just hurry up and come!" Syaoran yelled, frustrated, and stormed down the hall.

"What's biting his ass?" Sakura asked as she stepped out the door with a blushing Tomoyo following her.

"Beats me," Eriol said with a smirk on his face. Sakura locked the door and the three of them headed down to breakfast.

They found Syaoran waiting at the doors to the grand room.

Sakura smirked, "scared of what mommy will say if you show up without us?"

Syaoran glared and turned his back on them, facing the door.

"I don't need to answer questions from inferior brats," he said. Sakura fumed and was just about to retort when Tomoyo stopped her because Syaoran had opened the door already.

"Ahh, son," Yelan said with what sounded like tremendous relief in her voice.

Tomoyo looked around at all of the princesses who were sneering at them, then at their dresses.

"Sakura," Tomoyo whispered frantically. "Look! They're all wearing dresses!"

Sakura looked as if she didn't care but Tomoyo really did.

"No worries, you look great," Eriol said, smiling innocently.

Tomoyo felt her heart melt.

Eriol pulled out two chairs for Tomoyo and Sakura making the other girls shoot daggers at them. They were both seated on the right of Eriol with Syaoran seated across from him.

"OMG he is so kawaii!" Tomoyo breathed excited.

Sakura smiled and reached out for some toast.

As soon as breakfast was done Sakura dragged a starry eyed Tomoyo outside. She felt like exploring the Li grounds. Afterall, they really had nothing to do inside.

They opened the front doors and strolled down the stairs heading towards the beautiful gardens they had had to streak past when arriving here. There were fountains placed around the gardens with stone benches that were made to circle the fountains. Sakura stepped onto one bench so that she could look into the fountain. Lily pads floated in the water as the angel statue let water flow out of his harp's end and sprinkle onto the water surrounding him.

Sakura felt happy in this place, for the sun was shining and it was a marvellous day.

"Let's go checkout the back," Tomoyo suggested.

Sakura nodded so they both walked around some rose bushes and turned the corner. Walking along, they saw an assortment of tropical flowers that looked gorgeous. Then they turned the other corner, entering the backyard of the Li Mansion.

Both Tomoyo and Sakura gasped, it was amazing! The grass was so green you would think it fake, but there was nothing fake about the Li Kingdom, the word simply did not exist. Quite far away was the beginning of a forest, yet at the right was a small stone path that crept into it.

"Wanna go in?" Sakura asked Tomoyo mischievously.

Tomoyo grinned with excitement sharing Sakura's curiousity and mischievousness.

They both ran the width of the field, the wind pleasantly flowing over them. They both stopped to catch their breaths once they had reached the edge of the forest and peered down into the darkness. Sakura placed her foot on the first large flat stone that was the beginning of the pathway.

"Come on," Sakura whispered as if both girls were 7 again.

They were excited, expecting something worthwhile. It was as if they were in a Nancy Drew book, knowing there was a mystery to be solved. Sakura, being a princess, was not really allowed to explore such things, and was having the time of her life. The fact that they didn't have permission from anyone to be here made them excited.

And they made their way into the forest.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Y-yeah?"

"What if there are ghosts here?" Tomoyo whispered, her large eyes looking around her beadily.

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks.

"G- g- ghosts? You're kidding right?"

No answer.

"Tomoyo?"

All was silent.

Suddenly Sakura stepped on a twig.

"HOLY CRAP! TOMOYO WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"SHUT UP SAKURA, I'M FRIGGIN' RIGHT HERE! DON'T YELL LIKE THAT! YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!"

Once they were done screaming, they both began panting, their hearts beating double-time.

"S-Sakura, let's get out of here," Tomoyo pleaded, her voice shaking.

"Yeah, good idea."

Sakura held out a hand in front of her face, to get a small branch that was scratching at it when she saw some light and heard the trickling of water.

"Tomoyo, wait."

"Huh?"

"I think we're almost there."

"Almost there? Where were we heading when we started?" Asked Tomoyo, slightly confused and frantic. It was dark here, really dark.

"Hush," Sakura said waving a hand behind her to signal Tomoyo to stop. Tomoyo heard the 'hush' but how was she supposed to see Sakura's hand in this darkness?

Sakura started to walk onwards, pushing away the branches that were in her face. Coming to the clearing, she gasped at the sight.

* * *

Syaoran walked through the dim hallway, his head low. He didn't need to look up, he knew the mansion by heart.

Unexpectedly, he felt a slender hand creep over his shoulder, and clasp it tenderly. Syaoran stopped walking, wanting to know who thought they had a right to touch him.

He flicked whoever's hand off of him and turned around. He met the silvery blue eyes of one of the princesses. She had bouncy blonde hair and a flowing blue dress.

"Hey there, Prince Li," she drawled in a somewhat seductive voice.

Syaoran nodded and turned back around, deciding to ignore her.

"My name is Hening Susan, daughter of Hening Theodore and princess of the Hening Kingdom," Susan said with pride, walking a little faster to get infront of Syaoran.

"Good for you," Syaoran said in a lazy voice, his eyes drooping to add to the effect that he was simply bored. "Is that all?" He finished, and started to walk again, not waiting for her answer.

"No it isn't. I would like to get to know you better," she said in a sweet voice.

"I'm sorry but I'm quite busy at the moment," Syaoran said, lying to her easily.

Her face fell but she didn't give up. "Maybe later then?"

"Maybe," Syaoran said, only because he was brought up with manners.

"Really?"

Syaoran just couldn't give up the opportunity, no matter how much he tried to shove the words back down his throat.

"No," he said and again, started walking, faster now. Hoping to get away from the girl before she made a scene.

She said no more to him, a fowl expression on her face. But she whispered to herself, "Li Xiao Lang, you may run now, but I will catch you. Catch you like a lioness and her prey." She menacingly stared at his retreating back once again, and then stalked off in the opposite direction.

* * *

"THIS IS WICKED!"

Sakura beamed, staring at the site before her. It was amazing. It was a clearing that had an immensely large rectangle covering most of the field. It was made of a smooth concrete, a dark grey colour. On it were odd designs Sakura didn't understand and at each of the corners were what seemed to be totem poles.

Sakura walked over to the closest totem pole, stroking the stone with her right hand gently. It was a wolf sitting smartly on top of a square brick. She realised that it wasn't a totem pole, but a symbolic statue. This wolf looked gentle and had the word "Wind" in Chinese carved at the top of the sitting brick. There were also designs forming around the wolf's body that were unique when looking at the other wolf statues. Each were different, and represented something different. They were the elements. Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. What meaning these elements had to the Li family, Sakura had no idea.

Tomoyo was standing in the middle of the concrete floor, looking down at the designs by her feet.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked curiously, peering down at what Tomoyo was looking at.

"Nothing, just admiring the designs," Tomoyo said, not sounding too convincing.

Sakura walked over and gasped when she looked at the design.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo looked up at her. "Don't you have a circle with designs like this surround you when you release your key?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

They were a little different, but basically the same. Sakura could not believe what she was seeing. The only others she knew who had these markings when they transformed, were Kero-chan and Yue. Why did the Li family have this on their property?

"Y-you think, that there's a, another card captor here?" Tomoyo asked softly, her voice trembling.

Sakura shook her head, though she didn't know if she should believe herself or not.

"Even... even if there was another cardcaptor, they would have stopped being one right? I mean there really is no point being a cardcaptor when the Clow Cards are Sakura Cards and under my control."

"Yeah, but there's a possibility that they aren't even cardcaptors. Maybe just magicians," Tomoyo wondered out loud.

"Well... that could be. But, Kero-chan or Yue would have told me, right?" Asked Sakura uneasily, needing reassurance.

"They did say to keep your aura hidden in case any other magician was around, meaning that there could be magicians lurking around anywhere."

"The Li family though? Magicians?" Sakura asked disbelievingly. Though she knew that there we many other magicians out there it still seemed as though she was the only one.

Her heart started beating rapidly. 'I could actually meet another magician,' she thought, getting excited.

"It would be dangerous," said Tomoyo softly. "If they were."

Sakura looked at her and nodded. Then she looked at the place they were in again. She looked at the wolves that represented the elements and the pieces started to fit together.

She had these four elements in her cards. 'They are my strongest,' thought Sakura.

'Oh, no. What if these are the powers the Li's harbour?'

Then she realised something else.

"This is a fighting arena."

* * *

Syaoran was pacing his room, deep in thought.

'I need another task, something very difficult,' he thought evilly.

Suddenly an idea popped into his head when he looked at his small sphere of ying and yang on his desk.

"Simple," He said to himself. "Yet perfect."

He grinned maniacally.

"Even with that freaky grin, the girls come after you," Eriol sighed.

Syoaran practically jumped out of his skin.

"WHY THE HELL DON'T YOU KNOCK??"

Eriol shrugged.

Syaoran glared.

Eriol smiled.

Syaoran glared.

Eriol shifted nervously.

Syaoran glared.

"I bet it's just for your money," Eriol said finally. "They wouldn't be here for any other reason, cause there isn't any other! Ahahahaha!"

Eriol was rolling on the floor, laughing at his own corny joke. Syaoran just rolled his eyes asking himself why he had picked this dunce as his best friend.

Five minutes later, Syaoran turned around and saw that Eriol was still smiling at the back of his head.

"Stop doing that!"

"What?" Eriol asked innocently.

"What are you up to?" Syaoran asked frantically.

"Nothing," Eriol shrugged.

"Yeah right," Syaoran said disbelievingly.

"Don't believe me then," said Eriol.

"Oh, just come on. I've got an idea for another task."

"But I'm hungry!" Eriol whined.

Syaoran stared at Eriol. "You're pathetic."

* * *

All of the girls assembled in the Training Hall, buzzing with talk. They were all wearing dresses, knowing fully well that their dresses had simply gotten in their ways the last task they had.

Sakura had changed herself into another pair of jeans and a shirt. Tomoyo was wearing a skirt and a pretty top.

Sakura breathed in and out dramatically.

"Tomoyo," she said in fake worry. "I think I'm gonna die if I stay here any longer."

Tomoyo put on a face of fake worry too. "Really sweety? Why?"

"They're giving me cooties!" Sakura yelled pointing at all the princesses around her.

The princesses all stared at them both, shocked, but the girls didn't care, they were too busy laughing their heads off.

"Hey Tomoyo," said a cool voice from behind her.

Tomoyo turned around and started to feel faint.

"You can't help Sakura with this task. Want to go stand over there with me while she completes it?" Asked Eriol, charmingly.

"O-ok," Tomoyo said softly.

Eriol extended his hand and Tomoyo felt her knees go weak. She took it carefully and let him lead her away, but not before turning back to Sakura and raising her eyebrows.

Sakura smiled and gave her a nod, showing her approval of Eriol. Tomoyo beamed and turned around, enjoying the feeling of holding his hand. Secretly, she prayed to God that her hands wouldn't sweat.

Sakura, who was left alone and without Tomoyo to chit chat with, adopted a bored expression. Then she started to concentrate when Li Syaoran walked onto the platform at the front of the hall.

His voice filled the hall and all the girls dramatically sighed and batted their eye lashes.

Sakura looked at them in horror. Then she caught Syaoran's eye and they unknowingly stared at each other for God knows how long.

Sakura suddenly realised what she was doing and decided to break the staring contest. She put on an obviously fake smile, batted her eyelashes and waved to Syaoran energetically.

Syaoran blinked out of his reverie and sent a questioning look to Sakura. Shaking his head suddenly, he continued to speak.

"Uhh, as I was saying. This is the second task. The first was a test of strength and not a drop out task. We have the results of that recorded in charts," Syaoran said. "This task will be to show your ingeniousness. You may use any form you want to complete this task. We do not have any boundaries. It is a search. You will get this," he said holding up the white half of a flat ying and yang statue the size of his palm. And you must find it's partner. It could be anywhere on the castle-grounds. Inside, or outside. There are 49 of you here and 25 of you will be cut with this task."

Gasps occurred from the crowd of princesses.

Sakura also looked surprised. 'The first task cut no one and now 25 princesses were being cut? That's a lot of people.'

"So, there are 24 of the yang pieces hidden. You must find one and come back to this room. It sounds simple enough, I know. Yet finding them is going to much harder than you think," Syaoran looked at all the girls in the hall, a smile tugging at his lips when his mind thought 'they are so hard to find, that I think there are going to be more princesses going home than 25.'

"Your time limit is 2 hours. No more than that. Report back here as soon as you have found a piece. And please ladies, remember your manners, not too vicious ok?"

Sakura looked confused but most of the other princesses didn't, they were smiling.

Then it hit her. 'There are only 24 pieces, 25 princesses are leaving. Every princess is going to try her very best to find a piece. They don't look like they want to go home," Sakura thought looking around. Then she looked down at some of their nails. 'Holy shit they are long."

The princesses were definitely going to attack anyone who had already found the yang piece. That's why this task would be so difficult. You would have to find it and then make it to the Training Hall maybe after a battle or two with an evil looking princess who desperately wanted the yang piece.

Sakura took back what she had said to her father. This wasn't a beauty contest, this was a test of skill, and Sakura wasn't about to lose.

Sakura made up her mind right then. 'I don't want to get married now, and especially not to that conceited man, but I'm not going to lose to any of these girls. I'll show the Li's what this Kinomoto Princess is made of. I'll win this whole thing and then hand Li over to second place. That way I can leave with my pride and still be single.'

Sakura smiled at her ingeniousness and took the ying piece that was handed to her by a maid. There were a lot of them, going around and making sure every princess had one.

"Alright ladies. GO!"

Sakura didn't know what happened. She was just standing there and heard the word "go" and all of a sudden was overcome by a stampede of princesses racing to the door in heels.

'What am I doing?' Sakura yelled to herself. 'You haven't got a dress on and you have running shoes, so RUN!'

Sakura obeyed. She ran and only slightly pushed, not want to get those razor sharp nails into her flesh.

She gasped for breath, finally reaching the grand doors that led to the hall. She caught Tomoyo's eye and smiled. Tomoyo gave her a thumbs up, so Sakura sped off again.

She started to think hard because after all, Li had said that this was a task of ingeniousness.

'This mansion is huge, not to mention the grounds. How are we supposed to find the yang piece when there are only 24 of them?'

Out of the blue, an idea hit her. She ran over to the side and pretended to tie her shoes when she was actually waiting for the stampede to disappear.

'The stupidness of them,' she thought in her head. 'Their all heading in the same direction!'

When all of the princesses had finally disappeared, Sakura could see Eriol and Tomoyo at the door, Syaoran walking over to them.

The idea still fresh in her head, Sakura said with confidence to the three of them, "No worries, I'll be back in no time."

"Don't be so sure of that Kinomoto," Syaoran said coolly, a smirk on his lips. "This challenge is harder than you think. You won't be able to do it. And so won't most of these girls."

Sakura realised his plan.

"Oh don't worry sweet heart," Sakura said in a sweet voice. "I'll be back in no time. After all, I'm a Kinomoto princess, and I've got balls," Sakura said, glaring at him.

Syaoran chuckled.

"Unlike you," she finished grinning.

He was staring disbelievingly at her as she turned around and raced off through a small hallway that all the princesses had passed.

"She's different," Eriol said, looking at her retreating back. "I mean, she's not like all those other princesses."

"For sure. Sakura is, I dunno, stubborn, which helps her win."

Tomoyo looked over at Syaoran to see his reaction, but he was too busy scowling at the floor to hear.

Sakura ran down the narrow hallway and finally came to the end of it. She opened the door, welcoming the cold breeze with open arms. She stepped outside and looked around at the darkness. It looked scary, especially since there were shadows and sudden noises, the origins of which, one could not see. Sakura tried her best to stay calm and clear headed.

Her pride was on the line.

Knowing that no one was around her slightly scared her, but she willed herself to go on with her plan. She hugged her bare arms that had gotten goose bumps from the chill.

In the Training Hall Sakura had thought about the object she was in search for. The yang piece was black therefore someone would probably hide it in a dark place, so it could hide easily. Outside at night was the darkest place Sakura could think of, so that was where she went.

But now as Sakura looked around, she thought 'this is hopeless!' She was in blackness, and looking for something black. And telling by that look on Li's face, he almost certainly hid it in a hard to find spot too.

Sakura growled under her breath. Then her eyes brightened. She had an idea. She looked around her, there was no one. Then she turned around and looked up at the towering walls of the Li residence.

"The Fighting Arena!" She whispered excitedly.

Then she looked at the forest. She would have to go through it. If it was dark in the daylight surely it would be tremendously dark now. And dangerous.

Sakura's face became determined. She was afriad, but she had to do this. Her pride and dignity were on the line, the only thing that drove her to be the best she could be, at all times.

Sakura started to walk, briskly, trying her best not to think about the darkness of the forest and what could be lingering within it ...

Ghosts.

Sakura gulped.

'Stop thinking of the negative things!' Her mind said motherly. 'Think of the positive and you will be through that forest in no time!'

Sakura tried to listen to her mind, she really did, but what positive things were there to think of? The fact that if some vile and terrifying creature did indeed creep up behind her, she wouldn't be able to see it, and then maybe she would die a horrible and cruel death...

Sakura shuddered. 'Best not think at all.'

By this time Sakura had reached the path. She could tell because she was being poked by some branches sticking out of the edge of the forest and felt along them until she met thin air. Sakura put her right foot on the first stone step, she took a deep breath and then trudged along, her nose in the air.

She walked along steadily chanting to herself "there are no ghosts here, there are no ghosts here."

Since that was just making her think about them more she started to hum a happy tune.

Finally, after several thoughts of slumping to the floor and crying her eyes out, and a few "oh Sakura, you're so smart, you should do this often!" Sakura reached the Fighting Arena.

She sighed in relief.

Sakura could see it almost clearly, since it was in a clearing and there were no trees to block the moon light.

She took a breath knowing what she had to do and walked over to the middle of the Arena and took out her key.

"Key that hides the forces of darkness ..." Sakura chanted.

"Show me your true form!

"By the covenant, I, Sakura, command you.

"RELEASE!"

A gust of wind went over her, and her mark overlapped the Li one. Then, holding her wand out in front of her strongly, she took out a card from her pocket and threw it out in front of her, she rose her staff into the air and then swung it down hitting it squarely in the middle and causing a great aura to burst from it's tip.

"LIGHT!"

A beautiful woman emerged from the card, dressed in robes of white. She smiled adoringly at her master and awaited further orders.

"Light, grant your power to my key!"

Light did as she was told and soon a beam of light shot out from the tip of Sakura's wand.

Grinning, she shone it around her, immensely glad of the light. Then she walked over to one of the element statues, The Fire.

The Wolf looked slightly angry but more defensive than attacking. Sakura examined him, looking through every small hole that looked as if the yang could be stuffed in it, then moved on to Windy.

She wasn't hiding anything so Sakura examined Earth and finally got to Water. There she just could not stop smiling. She had found her yang! It was jammed into a hole between the bottom of the stone wolf and the ground.

Smiling widely, Sakura ran through the forest without a second thought. The only thing in her head was the fact that she would get to see the look of defeat on Li Syaoran's face.

A blonde haired girl gazed outside the long window of the room she was searching in for the yang piece she needed. Suddenly she saw a small brown haired girl run out from the forest and streak across the field, her silhouette dark and mysterious. She looked up at the glistening moon and then back down at the girl entering the mansion.

"I will not lose to you, Kinomoto," She whispered in a deadly voice letting go of the curtain she held wide with her right hand. Then she hurriedly started searching again.

Sakura dashed through the field and entered the mansion quickly. She stopped and rested herself on the back of the door, gasping for breath. Opening her eyes again she started to make another run for it. She was just too eager to see the desperate look on Li's face, begging for her to say how she really didn't complete his all to difficult task.

Sakura came to a sudden halt, just needing to turn 90 degrees and open the grand doors to the Training Hall to have completed the task. It seemed that her feet were plastered to the ground. She simply stared down the hall, her mouth sagging open.

There was what, fifteen, no - 20 girls standing at the end of that hall staring maniacally at her, and then to the yang piece in her hand.

Sakura opened her mouth to scream, but no noise came out. The girls were all running towards her at lightning speed, on heels, nails barred and all.

When they were about 10 meters away from her, her feet willed her to move and she turned yanking the door open with all the strength she could muster. She streaked down the hall, spotting Tomoyo, Eriol and Syoaran standing in the middle of it.

Sakura wanted to grin but the fact that she was being chased by a pack of girls who looked as if they were ready to kill just didn't let her do that.

She waved the yang piece in her hand at them and Tomoyo and Eriol beamed. Syaoran's face fell just as she had imagined and she conjured up a dazzling smile that even caught Syaoran's breath.

Sakura was now very close to them, she had slightly lost the girls on her tail, but not quite - they were still charging at her with full force.

Then she becamse terrified, she was running so fast that she couldn't stop! She stumbled, trying to step on the brakes, then realising she didn't have any, she fell.

She fell right into the arms of the one she loathed.

Syaoran looked just as surprised, but caught her anyways.

All the girls running abruptly stopped, all of them looking incredibly disappointed and angry at the same time.

Syaoran unknowingly looked into Sakura's emerald pools and was immediately drawn into them, something he couldn't bring himself to get out of.

Sakura winked at him, showing off her yang piece once again.

A small smile tugged at his lips, and Sakura flashed her astounding smile again, that lit up her eyes and made her face glow.

Syaoran could not stop himself, the emotions that overtook him were to strong to rebel. The power this woman had over him so suddenly was remarkable.

And when he got in, he just couldn't get out.

Syaoran's lips went crashing down on Sakura's, sending them into an unknown bliss. Sakura's eyes widened in shock but just couldn't bring herself to stop.

She pressed her lips against his and gave him all she was worth.

He pulled her closer to himself by wrapping his arms around her waist.

Sakura encircled his neck with her arms and by doing so, dropped her ying and yang pieces, sending them colliding together.

The warm ecstasy that enveloped them was one never to be forgotten.

When two different worlds met, and stumbled together,

In their first, real kiss.

**Oh yea, who's the best????**

**Ohohohohohohohoho!**

**ImmortalWishes**


	8. The Start of a War

**Chapter Eight:**

**The Start of a War**

Sakura could not bring herself out of it. The warmth that flooded throughout her body was so pleasant, so comforting. It made emotions she never knew she had, come up to the surface. It was her first kiss, she was new to it, and yet her body took over. At no point did she have to think about what she was doing because everything just felt so good, so perfect.

She never knew holding a boy would feel this way, his warmth electrocuting her, making her happy, making her feel loved.

She thought about the boy she was holding so lovingly, about his face, his delicate boyish features. That overwhelming smile, those soft chestnust bangs that flowed so smoothly into his eyes.

Oh those eyes.

The eyes that got her into this, that just drew her in without hesitation.

And then almost too abruptly did she realise the wrongness of this event. Hadn't she made a promise to herself? This was a test of dignity. She was not to get involved with the prince but to drop him to second place after she had proven herself to everyone.

But everything was going wrong now. She was messing things up. Even though this seemed so right, she knew in her head that it was really "all wrong."

Not all right.

Her and Syaoran were not for each other.

Wait a minute - had she actually thought they were? Had she actually thought for a second that she and Syaoran were meant to be?

Oh my god. What was wrong with her? This was not part of the plan at all.

And then in a second it was over. Syaoran had come abruptly to his senses and let go of her like she was some vile creature. Sakura felt her heart ache because of the look on his face.

The look of disbelief.

The look of shame.

Sakura felt her eyes burn for the first time in so long. She couldn't even remember the last time she let herself cry.

Wait. . . she did remember. . .

It was when her mom died.

But that was so long ago.

Shaking that away from her, she looked hard at Syaoran. His smile was gone and a look of disgust was plastered on his face.

"Why did you do that for?"

The words echoed in her head. Why _had_ she done that?

Wait she hadn't started it! What was this guy getting at?

"What are you talking about? You're the one who started it!"

Syaoran laughed. "Yeah right. Like I would want to kiss you. Especially you."

Sakura felt her blood boil. This boy was gonna get it. How could he insult her like that?

But those words weren't the ones that drove her over the edge, they weren't the ones that made her hand swing back and hit Syaoran squarely on his left cheek. They weren't the ones that made those rare tears start streaming down her face. . .

They were these words. Words she found impossible to forget. The words that would make her hate Li Syaoran more and more with every passing day.

"_Especially a Kinomoto slut like you."_

Syaoran had a cold look in his eyes. His cheek was obviously paining him, she could tell from the red tinge that stood out so vividly against his skin. The place she had slapped him.

She didn't care, in fact, she was happy. All her strength and hatred for him had gone into that slap. She hoped that the mark would stay there forever and always remind him and make him regret ever insulting a Kinomoto.

Sakura glared back equally into his eyes. She brought all her anger up into that glare. She wouldn't show him how weak she was. Even though he had made her cry.

Syaoran felt like slapping her back. How dare she make such a disgrace of him in front of so many people? So many people who respected him greatly.

"You are the first boy who has _ever _made me cry Li. Enjoy this moment bastard because you will never have this satisfaction again. I swear it." She hissed venomously.

Then she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room with a power and dignity such as no one.

Tomoyo gave Syaoran a glare of her own and said to him, "you really should have watched your words Li. All that comes after this, you've brought upon yourself."

She too left the hall, though slightly running, to catch up to Sakura.

Eriol strode over to Syaoran who was expecting him to say something like: "forget about them," or "what's wrong with them?"

But he didn't.

His own best friend didn't stand up for him.

His own best friend chose them over him. And in front of so many people.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Daidouji-chan is right. Why can't you think before you speak Syaoran?" Eriol said softly yet angrily.

He then turned to leave as well, leaving Syaoran standing on his own, a group of princesses staring at him by the doorway.

Syaoran grunted and looked at the floor. He shifted his eyes and glared at the ceiling.

Why did Eriol have to be like that?

Syaoran scowled. He felt like yelling. He wanted to go to his room.

No, he wanted to go to his fighting arena, to practice there for a while. That would get all this frustration out of his system.

He strode swiftly out of the Training hall. Fully ignoring all the gawking princesses.

* * *

"Stupid bastard."

Sakura was walking extremely fast. She didn't know where she was going - she didn't really care. All she knew was that she didn't want to go to her room. There was no point. Tomoyo would just come to make her feel better and then ask why Li's words had gotten her so upset.

And she didn't want to talk to Tomoyo about that. She didn't want to talk to anyone about that.

Fresh tears started to stream down her face. Her throat ached and her lips were parched.

"What's wrong with me?" She whispered. The words made her throat ache.

She thought of Li's words again.

"_Especially a Kinomoto slut like you."_

Sakura stopped and punched the wall to her left.

Emotions overtook her and her back slid down the wall and she landed in a heap on the floor.

She thought of her mother, and the reason why those words hurt her so much...

--FLASHBACK--

She was seven years old, sitting in her bedroom in an 18 story apartment, drawing in her sketchbook. It was a picture of her, her mother, her brother, and her father.

She had drawn her father with brown wavy hair and he was tall, just like her mom had told her he looked like. Her brother was a teenager, her mother had said. She drew him as tall as their dad with darker brown hair. She was told that his name was Touya.

She took her purple marker and wrote Touya's name in capital letters above her drawing of him.

"There," she said smiling.

The picture was perfect, and she was proud of it.

This morning she had nagged her mother and asked her every detail of her father and brother's appearances so she could make her picture perfect.

She had told her it was a surprise, and now the surprise was ready.

Carefully she tore the paper out of her scrapbook, making sure that it didn't rip.

She hopped out of her bedroom, her paper hidden behind her back.

She started down the steps but stopped when she caught sight of her mother talking to someone.

Sakura slowed down and tried to be as quiet as she could.

Creeping down the stairway, she managed to get a view of the other person without making herself seen.

It was Derrick, her mother's boyfriend.

Sakura got irritated. She hated that guy. He was always rude to her.

"I'm sorry Derrick, but I can't see you anymore," Nadeshinko said to Derrick in the living room.

Sakura didn't understand what that meant but then got the idea when she saw Derrick's face fall.

"Why? Are you sleeping around? Who is it?"

"You know I'm not like you! Saying all these 'I love you's' and then going and sleeping with so many women."

"I don't do that anymore."

"Just leave."

"_Why_ do you want me to go?" He asked gruffly. Sakura could see that he was angry.

"Because you're not getting along with Sakura. I don't like that you're rude to her. Now get out of my house," she said, pointing to the door and looking straight at him.

Suddenly Derrick lunged in and grabbed a fist full of Nadeshinko's hair. He pulled at it making her stumble towards him.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME WHAT TO DO YOU KINOMOTO _SLUT_!"

"DON'T YOU CALL ME A SLUT YOU BASTARD!"

Nadeshinko dug her nails into the skin on his left arm making him let go of her hair. Then she kicked his crotch making him stumble to the ground in pain.

That bought her at least a minute.

She jumped on the couch and grabbed the living room phone and dialed for the police.

"Hello, please! Come to First Street, Apartment 303, 11th floor, room 1107! My boyfriend is endangering me and my child! Hur - "

Nadeshinko was forced to drop the phone as Derrick pulled her away from it. He threw her on the floor and then scrambled on top of her.

He started punching her head.

Repeatedly.

Sakura was sobbing by now. The violence displayed in front of her was too much.

She ran and jumped on Derricks back, having dropped her family drawing, and started pulling at his hair.

"ARGH!"

Derrick threw her off his back and she hit the floor hard. She then lay unconscious.

--

Sakura blinked a few times and opened her eyes. She was dressed in a hospital gown and lying on a hospital bed.

She sat upright, her sheets coming down around her. Her head felt heavy. She put her hands on her head, as if to hold it up and stop the pain; her hand traced the cloth-bandage around her head.

Then all of a sudden, vivid images surfaced in her mind.

Her mother...

Lying on the floor...

Being beaten by that bad man...

Sakura became anxious; she wanted to see her mother. She wanted to hug her. She wanted her mother to tell her that everything would be alright.

Slipping out of bed, Sakura placed a small hand on the wall to her left and let it slide along while she made her way out of the room.

She stuck her head out of the doorway. The hall wasn't too busy.

She saw that there were two ladies sitting at the desk in front of the hallway that led to the elevators. Sakura would have crept past them to the elevators, but she didn't know which floor her mommy would be on.

So she slowly walked towards the two ladies busily typing on their keyboards and staring fixedly at their computer screens.

While Sakura edged closer, the younger nurse stood up to go put a file in the filing cabinet opposite her desk. After she closed the drawer and was making her way back to her computer, she spotted Sakura.

"Sweetie what are you doing out of bed?" She asked, walking around the counter and bending down to talk face to face with Sakura.

"Where's my mommy?" Sakura asked in a small voice.

"Oh sweetie, I don't know, maybe she went home. She'll be back tommorow to visit you."

"What's the girl's name?" The older nurse asked, raising one of her thin eye brows.

The younger nurse lifted Sakura's left arm and turned the hospital bracelet around so that she could read her name.

"Kinomoto Sakura," she said, answering the older nurse's question.

"Do you know nothing Sarah? This is the child who's mother was involved in the boyfriend ordeal. She's down in emergency right now. The doctor's are trying to make some improvements."

"Oh," the nurse blushed and then looked at Sakura.

Sakura hadn't exactly understood what the older nurse had said, so looked at the one in front of her.

"I want to see her," Sakura stated.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry, but you can't."

"I want to see her!" She screamed, tears starting to form in her innocent emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry," Nurse Sarah whispered.

No one had heard an elevator stop and open on the children's floor.

A handsome teenage boy came out and made his way to the front desk. He placed both his hands on the counter and looked directly at the older nurse.

"Where is Kinomoto Sakura's room?" He asked.

"Sakura is right here," Nurse Sarah answered still looking at Sakura with sad eyes.

Touya looked down, and for the second time, met eyes with his little sister.

"Come Sakura," Touya said holding out his hand for her.

Without hesitation, she took it, and let him lead her to the elevators.

Sakura for some reason, remembered his handsome face, she remembered his dark hair and tall frame.

"You're not scared of me?" Touya asked genuinely in a whisper.

"No," Sakura said. "I feel like I know you."

Touya smiled at her intelligence. He was so relieved that she wasn't afraid of him. He always thought about his little sister, and always wondered if they could be friends.

And now he could find out, and know what it was like to be a big brother.

The elevator opened it's doors and they stepped in. They went down to the ground floor and headed towards the Emergency Ward.

Walking down the hallway, Sakura saw Touya reading the signs that led to different hallways.

Finally, they turned and entered a hallway marked 'Intensive Care'.

Touya made Sakura stop a few feet away from the ward where their mother must be.

Touya knew fully well what was going on. His mother, whom he hadn't seen or had any contact with for 7 years, was in critical condition.

The doctors were trying their very best to stitch her up, but they were failing.

And they all knew that.

They all knew what was going to happen, and happen soon.

Even Nadeshiko.

Nadeshiko had asked Touya herself, after telling him how much she loved him, and how sorry her and his father were for everything, to go and get Sakura.

Because she wanted to say good bye.

Fujitaka walked out of the room and into the hallway. He rose his head and saw Touya standing there, holding Sakura's hand.

Sakura felt overjoyed. The two men she had been told so many stories about were now standing in front of her. The two men her mother said she loved the most.

Sakura let go of Touya's hand and ran to her father.

She hugged him tight and he picked her up.

"Hello Sakura," Fujitaka said. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "It's been a very long time."

Sakura noticed the redness of her father's eyes behind his glasses.

"Dad, were you crying?"

Fujitaka tried his best to smile a bit, but his throat hurt too much to let him.

"Yes darling. I was."

"Why dad?"

"Your Mommy is sick."

Sakura looked down.

"I know."

"She wants to see you."

"Can I see her now?" Sakura asked, hopeful.

"In a minute yes."

Fujitaka waited a few moments. He knew that the doctors were going to leave in a moment, to let them say their good byes. They just couldn't do anything. The punches to the head Nadeshiko had recieved, were given with too much force and power. She had huge gashes on her head, and she had lost too much blood.

The doctors left, all with sad faces. They had failed to do their jobs. Each and everyone of them felt a pain for the Kinomoto family and each and everyone of them, were truly sorry.

Once they were gone, Fujitaka slowly made his way to Nadeshiko's room, Sakura still in his arms, and Touya following behind.

Fujjitaka put Sakura down just as they entered the room and let her run to his wife. Sakura ran to her mother, her speed making her shoulder length hair flow behind her. She stopped on the left side of her mother's bed and looked at her with sad eyes.

Nadeshiko's beautiful face was badly bruised, but she still smiled at her daughter.

"Sakura," came her soft voice. "I'm sorry. Sorry that the four of us couldn't live together as a family. We would have, you must believe me. If it wasn't for those elders that made me leave with you."

Nadeshiko looked at Fujitaka sadly.

"My love, please promise me you will tell Sakura everything and make her understand when you get home?"

"Yes, but - "

"Tell her when she is thirteen. She will understand."

Fujitaka nodded.

"Touya, come here," Nadeshiko said. Touya walked over to stand beside Sakura. Nadeshiko put her hands on both of their cheeks.

"Always. Always remember how much I love you. And that I will always be with with you. When you need me."

Her head fell back down on the bed, exhausted. Touya stepped away, not being able to conceal his tears.

"Mommy!" Sakura wailed. She was sobbing, the tears streaming down with great speed.

Nadeshiko smiled softly and closed her eyes.

Touya held Sakura's hand and pulled her away from the bed. Fujitaka stepped where they were before and leaned over Nadeshiko.

"I love you," he whispered, a tear falling down and landing on her cheek. He softly touched her lips with his, in a sweet and meaningful kiss.

_--6 years later--_

It was evening and Sakura was sitting in the living room of the Kinomoto mansion with her brother and father. She was thirteen today and had reminded her father that this was the age her mother had said she wanted Sakura to learn the truth.

"Where do I begin," Fujitaka said, looking a little uncomfortable.

"Father, why did I live with Mother in an apartment building when she was the rightful Queen of the Kinomoto Kingdom?" Sakura asked, she had been longing to hear this answer, but was always told that it was her mother's wish that she learn everything on her thirteenth birthday.

"Because the elders of the Kinomoto Kingdom did not like the fact that I married a low-class woman."

"So they made Mother flee with me?"

"No. I asked your mother to. It looked as if the elders would do anything to get rid of her and I loved her and you too much to let them harm you."

"But how come they didn't do anything before? She stayed with you and Touya for all those years before I was born."

"I tried my very best to protect her. The elders were very angry, and this increased after you were born. They cursed us and yelled 'how could you have another child with her?' Of course they didn't mind keeping Touya, because they need a boy to inherit the Kingdom when the time comes.

"I learned that they were planning something evil. It seemed to them, that Nadeshinko would be weak after giving birth. You were only a week-old when you had to leave." Fujitaka smiled softly.

"And you told Mother not to tell me about being a princess."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. It must have been so hard," Fujitaka said with sad eyes on his daughter. "I'm just heartbroken that we could live together as a family for more than one week."

"Thank you father," Sakura said.

"For telling you? I would have told you sooner, but I thought it would be nice to tell you when you became the age your mother had wished for."

"Yes, but I mean, thank you for everything." Sakura got up and gave her father a tight hug. She was so glad that she was living a life with these two wonderful men, even though her mother wasn't there."

"I love you father," Sakura said, truly meaning it.

"And you too Touya," she said giving him a hug as well. "I just miss mother," she admitted sadly.

"Don't we all," Fujitaka said, looking at the floor.

-- END OF FLASHBACK_--_

Sakura sat sobbing on the cold floor, her arms tightly wrapped around her knees.

"Oh mother. I hate it here. _I hate it_."

* * *

Tomoyo and Eriol were searching for Sakura.

"I wonder why that hurt her so much," Eriol said. He was a little worried and just couldn't believe his idiot best friend had said those harsh words.

"Me too. I've never seen Sakura cry before," Tomoyo said anxiously. It was true. She had never seen her best friend cry. Tomoyo knew her as a strong and stubborn girl.

"Whatever it is, I think it has something to do with her mother."

"You think so?" Eriol asked.

"Yeah. For some reason."

They were making their way down another hallway when Tomoyo spotted her. She looked a mess.

"Oh my God, Sakura!" Tomoyo ran to her best friend and picked her up. She held her in her arms and moved the wet strands of hair out of Sakura's face.

"Look at what he's done to you Sakura," Tomoyo whispered.

Sakura came to her senses and wiped her eyes. Once her face was completely dry she looked at Tomoyo. "Pathetic, eh?"

"No! Sakura, darling. Would you just please tell me what's going on?"

"I can't," Sakura said. It was true. The whole thing was just too painful to go through again.

"I understand," Tomoyo whispered. "What can I do to help though?"

"Nothing. It's done. No more crying."

Tomoyo smiled.

"Anything I can do?" Eriol asked.

Sakura smiled at Eriol's kindness. He wasn't like Li. He wasn't like Li at all.

Sakura looked at Tomoyo.

"He's a good guy Tomoyo." Tomoyo blushed and widened her eyes as a signal for Sakura to stop. Sakura chuckled softly.

"Hiiragizawa-kun," she said, looking at him. "I give you permission to ask her out."

Eriol blushed even redder than Tomoyo.

"Well, thanks," he said awkwardly. "Anything else I can do?" he asked honestly.

"Yeah."

"Shoot."

"Tell your friend _Prince_ Li, to watch his back," Sakura said, a dark look on her face.

"He's pissed me off, and pissing off a Kinomoto means deathly trouble.

"I'm going to get him, no matter what.

"I swear I will make his life a living hell.

"Cause he's started a war, and I am not about to hand over a truce."

**A/N: Thanks for reading everyone :)**

**-ImmortalWishes**


	9. Thoughts of Destruction,Thoughts of Love

**A/N: HI EVERYONE! Bet you didn't think you'd hear from me ever again, eh? haha. I wonder if the same people from 5 years ago [yes, I find it hard to believe too] will read this! Or perhaps new readers will enjoy the story. Hope you like the chapter! Please review! If I get a good amount I'll def update sooner than 2014 haha. **

**I edited all the previous chapters so they should sound muuuuuch better!**

**ROGUISH LOVE**

**Chapt****er 9:**

**Thoughts of Destruction, Thoughts of Love**

Sakura was back in her room at the Li mansion. She felt exhausted from the night's ordeals. Now she was lying on her queen size bed, her head comfortably resting on a red silk pillow.

Sakura and Tomoyo had wished Eriol a good night and gone back to their room to sleep. It had gotten quite late and they wanted to be up on time for breakfast the next day.

Tomoyo was currently in the shower, singing a tune that rolled off her tongue...

"_I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of? A love I am not sure of. A love there is no cure for."_

Sakura smiled with her eyes closed. Tomoyo was such a loser. She giggled thinking about the obvious attraction Eriol and Tomoyo had for each other. It was cute; Sakura was happy for her best friend. Eriol seemed to be a great guy.

She sighed and rolled over. She brought her knees up to her chest and stuck a hand under the pillow. She opened her eyes and looked at the night lamp by her side as she thought...

Sad though her mother's death was, Sakura was a happy person. Her mother had raised her in a loving environment and her father and brother had done the same.

It hadn't taken much time for Sakura to adjust to being a princess. What seven-year-old girl wouldn't love to live that fantasy? She had been a kind child, befriending the maids and the cooks. Sakura remembered how she would run around the mansion she ensured were always filled with flowers.

Now Sakura was a young woman, and burdened with the task of finding a suitable husband. Her father, despite being the great man he was, had chosen a very bad suitor, in Sakura's opinion.

Syoaran Li did not deserve Sakura.

Sakura smiled at herself, knowing that she was giving herself a pep-talk to calm down and handle the situation. 'I'm too good for him,' she mentally said.

But Sakura was stuck. She knew that her father would not let her return home without having spent some time at the Li Residence. She would have to wait it out.

'What's so great about love?' Sakura thought. People fought battles on behalf of love. People lost their _lives_. People gave up everything, all for the one they loved...

'Well wouldn't I give up everything if Touya or Father were in trouble?' One side of her mind challenged.

'That's different! They're my family!' The other argued.

'To fall in love must be completely different than to love a person for who they are. It must be amazing - to _be_ loved. To know someone wants you for who you are. Someone thinks _you_ are the most beautiful, _you_ are the most interesting. That someone chooses _you_ above everyone else he could have possibly chosen. What makes you so special? What makes you the one to love with all his heart?'

Sakura's mind fell into a warmth, wondering how it would feel to be loved by someone. Then that wondering turned to a desperate wanting, a need to feel that emotion in reality.

'See?' The other side of her mind spat, 'Love makes you think nothing else is of worth. It makes you weak, like a poison.'

Sakura thought about the decision she had made earlier that night, the decision to win all the challenges and hand Li over to second place.

'Perhaps I should stick to that plan,' Sakura thought. She knew she could handle the challenges. She would try her best and make a fool of Li in front of everyone. She would make his challenges look like child's play…

Sakura didn't notice Tomoyo step out of the shower. She was too deep in thought, enjoying the image of Prince Li's horror-stricken face when she would win the whole challenge. Draped in a light purple robe, Tomoyo made her way over to Sakura's bed and sat at the foot of it.

Sakura jerked up and squealed, having been frightened by Tomoyo's presence.

The girl giggled for a moment, Sakura was way too easy to scare. Her soft laughter trailed off almost immediately however and she looked at her friend with worry in her eyes. "Sakura-chan, are you really alright?"

When Tomoyo had asked Sakura before in the hallway, after Eriol and her had found Sakura crying, the girl had made it clear that nothing was to be discussed. Sakura did not want to talk about what had upset her. Tomoyo however, could not help but desperately want to know what about Prince Li's words had hurt her best friend so much.

Sakura sat up on her bed and settled the red pillow against the head-post. She leaned against it and looked in Tomoyo's eyes. "I'm just a bit frustrated," she said.

"I know. I know how much you must hate him right now."

"Damn right I hate him! _He_ kissed _me_, Tomoyo!" Sakura said indignantly.

"I know Sakura, I saw him do it."

Sakura huffed. "And he dare accuse me of kissing him first? Ugly, stupid loser…" Sakura rambled on. But despite how much she tried not to, her mind drifted back to that kiss and how amazing it was. Then, a thought struck her.

"That was my frist kiss Tomoyo..." Sakura said, her voice sad.

"I know honey," Tomoyo said, looking at her friend. She decided to lighten the atmosphere and put Sakura in a good mood. "Was it good at least?"

Sakura looked appalled.

"Come on!" Tomoyo coaxed. "Yeah he's a bastard but still! He's hot..." She said, suggestively wiggling her eyebrows.

"Tomoyo! How can you say that?" Sakura asked loudly, looking betrayed.

Tomoyo looked flustered for a moment, her plan was going downhill. "I'm not betraying you! I'm just telling the truth! Duuuh he's good-looking. You can't deny that. That's why all these girls are after him."

Sakura sunk back into her pillow. "Yeah that and all the money he's got."

"I'm glad Eriol isn't a cocky prince," Tomoyo said thoughtfully, with stars in her eyes. "Did you know that he's a Duke? He's actually lived in London for most of his life too!"

"Were you guys looking for me or having your first date?" Sakura asked.

Tomoyo blushed. "Of course we were looking for you! We just talked while we did it…"

Sakura laughed. That made her feel much better.

"Sakura-chan, you're really annoying," Tomoyo said, pouting but happy that Sakura was in a better mood.

"Oh, but you love me," Sakura smiled.

"Yes I do," Tomoyo said, getting up to change into her pajamas. 'And one day, you'll find a man who'll love you much much more,' Tomoyo thought.

* * *

"Life sucks!" Syaoran yelled. He threw a pillow at his bed, huffing angrily.

"Is there really a point to abusing your furniture?" Eriol asked, his head popping in the door. Syaoran jumped.

"What did I say about knocking?!" He yelled, throwing another pillow at his best friend.

"No more knocking for me," Eriol said, shaking his head. "After what happened the other day? Nope, I'm just gonna step in whenever I feel like it." Eriol said, referring to the morning Syaoran had collapsed in his bathroom while Eriol waited outside his bedroom door. He went over to sit on Syaoran's bed, where he looked comfortable.

After a few moments, Eriol turned to Syaoran. "You know, you were really harsh on Kinomoto back there."

Syaoran scowled, "you could have backed me up you know."

"I won't back up even my best friend if he abuses someone who didn't do anything wrong."

Syaoran looked hostile. "I did NOT abuse her! Did you see her slap me? That's abuse!"

"You called her a slut."

"So what?"

"I don't know why but it really affected her. It took Tomoyo and I thirty-minutes to find her in this huge place. She looked terrible. Something you said must have hit home, and it must have hit hard," Eriol said, sadly thinking about how Sakura looked when he and Tomoyo had found her.

Syaoran looked troubled for a moment.

"Will you say sorry tomorrow?"

Syaoran looked at Eriol, utterly appalled.

"You know you should. Chances are, your mother might find out what happened."

"Fine," Syaoran said, then rose and strode over to his window. "And not because I'm afraid of what my mother would say," Syaoran snapped at Eriol. "But because I know I should," he said quietly.

The atmosphere slowly relaxed. Syaoran continued to look out the window while Eriol lay on the bed with his eyes closed.

Syaoran groaned and pushed himself away from his windowsill. He sat on the edge of his bed and put his head in his hands.

"You stress yourself out too much buddy," Eriol said, matter-of-factly, eyes still closed.

"You think?" Syaoran yelled." I need to find a way to get rid of all these girls! There's still twenty-four left!" He hadn't expected them to find the yang pieces so easily.

"Ah, in the name of love," Eriol said, looking up at the ceiling. "Let me tell you, I don't think it was easy for those girls to find them," he said, seeming to read Syaoran's mind. "There must be princess blood streaked all over the hiding places."

Syaoran smiled slightly. "Yeah, they're crazy."

"So what's next?" Eriol asked. "What's the next challenge?"

"This is getting difficult," Syaoran said, messing up his hair in frustration. "I don't want to keep holding challenges and eliminate few by few, it's taking too long."

"Then just pick a girl," Eriol suggested. "It'll be over like that," Eriol said, lifting up a lazy hand to snap his fingers.

"Eriol, seriously, you've GOT TO start listening! I don't want to get married!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

"Where's your head been man?"

Eriol blushed but Syaoran didn't catch it. "All I'm saying," Eriol started, "is that you should speed this up. Make one big challenge so that all of them give up."

"That's what I've been trying to do," Syaoran said exasperated. "But they keep on succeeding and no one's quitting!"

"Like I said, in the name of love." Eriol began to hum a tune of his own creation, apparently trying to reflect the power of love.

"I know!" Syaoran said, suddenly sounding determined.

Eriol looked skeptically at his friend. "An idea hit you that fast? What is it?"

"They can battle."

"Fight each other?" Eriol guffawed. "They've already done that! They'd be happy to do it again. But seriously, do you want all the princesses going home bloody and bruised? Their parents won't be happy."

"Not themselves," Syaoran said, his head turning to look at Eriol. His eyes were gleaming with something that frightened Eriol.

"They'll fight _me_."

Eriol sat up. "What are you saying?"

"Don't you see?" Syaoran said, looking at Eriol with excitement. "None of them would want to do that. They'll all leave!"

"I wouldn't be so sure if I was you," Eriol mumbled, thinking about a girl he knew who would be only too happy to take up the challenge.

* * *

"Hey, you never opened that bag we got on the first day," Tomoyo said, sounding wide awake. She walked over to the vanity table, dressed in her white pajamas and picked up the silk bag. She brought it over to Sakura and plopped down beside her.

"Remember? There's a riddle in here," Tomoyo said, looking at the bag curiously.

Sakura mumble something incoherent, drifting off to sleep, still in her jeans.

Tomoyo opened the bag and took out a small and heavy paper. There, in hand-writing, was the riddle. She read it aloud:

_"Beware - I am not of clay,  
Of stone I'll always be.  
I hold the key to all the world,  
Though times have changed,  
Earth, I can mould._

_Run silently, through all the night,  
For that's when I can't see,  
Or I'll take your eyes,  
I'll eat, I'll eat,  
And then, you'll learn to flee."_

Tomoyo was stunned, the words were so harsh, so frightening. She looked at Sakura's sleeping form and back at the paper.

This wasn't a riddle. This was a warning. Prince Li did not want to marry, and he would do anything in his power, to stop that from happening.

**A/N: Hope you liked this chapter! I wanted to make it longer, but I started writing on a weird tangent and then I got a block. Please review! Reviews break down that wall in my mind and I'll be able to delve into the wonderful imagination needed to write the rest of this story!**

**What will happen next? Will Sakura and Syaoran battle? Will Sakura win? Will Syaoran kill for his pride?**

**Find out in the next chapter of:**

**ROGUISH LOVE!**

**please press that review button everyone!**

**OH! I also have a new story on called Flowers of Fire, please read it too! :D**


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